Frances sent me an email telling me of Shirl's Desert Island Challenge on Monday of this week. I just want to say to Frances-you are a gem and I am so glad you are my friend-blogging and otherwise! As you are such a good sport with everything and a super great supporter to all other bloggers! You have supported me non-stop forever, and I do appreciate it and all the other bloggers too who kindly give to others. Enough on that, now let's quickly move on before I make this a post about something else. We know I tend to post a bit too much with so many subjects:)
Shirl's Desert Island Challenge asks you what three plants you would take with you if you were marooned on a deserted island? There are no restriction on growing conditions AND food plants are already available. Hmmmmmm. Now I really, REALLY have to think on this one. I am stranded on a deserted island with nothing but the clothes on my back. Reminds me of Survivor, and oh how I do love Survivor. Now to the gardening part. I asked myself what kind of plant can I not live without? It is very hard for a plant lover and collector to only choose three plants! Shirl is generous, as she could have chosen only one plant. That would be even worse! But I think I have narrowed my choices down.
Shirl's Desert Island Challenge asks you what three plants you would take with you if you were marooned on a deserted island? There are no restriction on growing conditions AND food plants are already available. Hmmmmmm. Now I really, REALLY have to think on this one. I am stranded on a deserted island with nothing but the clothes on my back. Reminds me of Survivor, and oh how I do love Survivor. Now to the gardening part. I asked myself what kind of plant can I not live without? It is very hard for a plant lover and collector to only choose three plants! Shirl is generous, as she could have chosen only one plant. That would be even worse! But I think I have narrowed my choices down.
I took the angle I take in my garden-something blooming year round with TONS of color. As such, we have only three choices here so I will leave out the winter plant (probably hellebores). I also am focusing only on perennials since there are food plants there. I will assume coconuts and bananas are also there so I am leaving out trees. I have narrowed my choices down to one plant for spring, summer, and fall. Of these plant choices, I am choosing plants which will multiply quickly and give me a good long show of color. I like fragrance, but in my garden the color is my heart's desire.
It is any wonder I chose irises for my spring plant? Iris, the very name conjures visions of the rainbow. Irises are easy to grow (some would say too easy in Tennessee) and are such a delight in spring. This is my first choice of plants I'm packing for a trip. Peonies were a close second.
My second choice is a favored plant for the summer bloom period. Boy, is this one ever so hard! So many good summer plants to chose from but I have settled on rudbeckia. It is such a diverse group that is so cheerful in the summer and requires no work from the gardener. Its foliage will also be a good foil for the spikey leaves of the irises.
My final plant to join me on a deserted island is the sedums. Such easy plants they are to grow and so diverse! Its chunky foliage and strong sturdy stems will play nicely with the irises and brown eyes and the flowers will provide winter interest for me when the seasons have past. 
So there you have it. What three plants would you take with you to a deserted island? To check out other bloggers posts visit Shirl's blog found here.Skeeter, can you tell me what type of butterflies these are? Or anyone? I am so bad with knowing the types.
in the deserted-oops-garden....
Good morning Tina, interesting post and good question. Will have to dust off the brain, have more coffee and give it some thought.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Oh no, I'm all about the food, tomatoes, squash and a fruit, strawberries or watermelon. I would have to dream about flowers! While I stayed full!
ReplyDeleteHi Tina! Interesting thought. I don't grow many veggies, so I probably would not take them..so for me it would be pansies, rudbeckia and profusion zinnas. I thought of it like this..if I could only have 3 types of flowers..and that's all-what would I have. It was an easy choice for me! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tina, thanks so much. I am blushing my red head off! Enough is right. :-) Good choices, I have seen rudbeckias in a couple of others, but would never have thougt of irises. That blue color, the flower form and the ease of propagation are excellent attributes. I didn't think of sedums either, but that is excellent for the butterflies too. I think the larger one is a great spangled frittilary.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Great choices! I'll have to think about it and head over to Shirl's blog.
ReplyDeleteCameron
Tina ... great choices girl ! .. What is amazing me is that everyone is coming up with such different ones .. by the time I get on my lap top I will be struggling ? to be original ? LOL
ReplyDeleteI do like yours though .. hum .. can I borrow one or two ? LOL
Good Morning All,
ReplyDeleteI will have to really think about this one. There are so many. Pansies for sure.
My brain is in slow motion---23º now at 8:25. Was 25º at 4:00 a.m.
Stay warm all.
MOrning Tina, these are outstanding choices, and the best part about all of them is learning the rationale behind people's choices. Those butterflies are some sort of fritillary, I think; I want to say spangled fritillary, but I'm not real good at butterfly identification.
ReplyDeleteTina, I wondered why I was seeing so many deserts in the blog titles this morning--I thought you all had gone on a trip I didn't know about!:) Great choices; I never would have thought of the sedums, but they are such butterfly magnets. I still haven't done "my signature plant" post, which I was thinking about. Now I'll have to think--only three??!
ReplyDeleteGood choices Tina. I love seeing those butterflies on your sedum. I can't hardly wait for that time of year again when butterflies and bees are scouting about.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices Tina,
ReplyDeleteThe sedums are delightful...bees and butterflies flock to them! you know how I love the Susan! Iris...so many rich colors, but the earliest deep purples are my favorites! Wasn't this fun!
gail
Good Morning Tina, good choices it wasn't an easy task was it? What was I thinking about I don't know I totally forgot my Irises! Glad you thought about it.
ReplyDeletexoxo Tyra
Tina - lovely choices, you will have an island that blooms through the seasons.
ReplyDeleteK
PS, we were leaving comments on each others blogs at the same time (lol) ;)
ReplyDeleteK
Great choices, I also had considered a Sedum.
ReplyDeleteJanet, Coffee sounds excellent right about now!
ReplyDeleteDawn, Food is available-does that change it?
Linda, Those pansies are zinnias are wonderful! Glad you chose the rudbeckia too. Many bloggers chose that one and also the rose. Pretty cool huh? And Lola below would also take pansies-too cool! Love the color thing!
Frances, Thanks for iding the butterflies. I don't know them at all but boy do they love the sedum. Your choices are great-you'll be a busy bee crafting up crafts and they'll need an extra boat for them all if you stay very long:)
Cameron, Yes, a very interesting thing and it is nice to visit new blogs with a meme occasionally. This one is very fun. There is a poster from France too!
Joy, You can borrow away! But you are a total original so I bet we will all be surprised by your choices. Have fun!
Lola, Stay warm! It is coming your way as we finally warmed up here. Pansies are splendid-Linda also chose them.
Jodi, Thanks on the butterfly id! They were so fun last summer. Yes, I think the rationale part of it. Frances at one point suggested you could do a personality trait analysis based on these choices-let's not! But you know my rationale-kind of practical-that is me. Loved your choices too. And especially that you shared a plant with Frances. I honestly thought regionalities would come into play more, but not so.
Rose, Yes-a big meme. I posted a blurb yesterday but after you visited-sorry! It is not too late though she is keeping it up I think until the end of the week. Frances asked me so I joined in. It is fun when you can see all the blogger's takes on the same thing. Just three plants but food is available. You can read this anyway you want. No growing restrictions. Hint: Figure out your purpose and it is easy to narrow down. I hope it is warming up in your area-it is here. But today I have to sew-no gardening:(
Lisa, It is right around the corner. And I loved seeing your choices too. I really thought regional preferences would come into play-and I think it has a bit. Love your choice of peonies-these I think are what early settlers would not leave England without so I thought it would be a first choice for me, but not so.
Gail, Yes-very neat to see new blogs and the creative thoughts behind them. Yup-we surely share those Susans. Warm here finally!
Tyra, It seemed hard at first, then my over analytical mind figured it out for me-one plant per season and it was easy. You can't beat those irises. Can't wait to see yours in the spring. This was fun! Loved your choices too-especially the dahlia!
Karen, Thanks! I simply loved your dicourse with Mrs. Grumpy and the cartoon. So creative! Yup, it happens all the time with us bloggers-same time commenting. Kind of makes one wish you had a IM function on here:)
ReplyDeleteDarla, Those sedums are great! I'm heading your way now.
I love the iris choice. Not many have picked that one and it is one of my favorite flowers.
ReplyDeleteFrances, Look at the “Meadow Fritillary” and see if that is a closer match to our mystery butterfly. Cannot see the other one well enough so no guesses.
ReplyDeleteI was going to go with Spring, Summer and Winter but on my tropical island, it will be summer all year long!
Butterfly Bush.
Hibiscus.
Periwinkle (Vinca)
These all attract butterfly, bee, hummingbird and I dont want to be on the island alone!
Even if it has a short bloom time I would have to have a Lilac for the beauty and the smell. They grow fairly fast and will cover a large area quickly and the leaves are also very lush. Coming in second but a very close first would be an everblooming but dainty, hedge type of Rose. Then, last but not least I think I would have to have an Angle Wing Begonia.
ReplyDeleteThis post sure makes you think.
Great choices. Glad you are bringing Irises, so pretty in spring. Flowers for butterflies are a good idea too. The island is getting quite full now :-)
ReplyDeleteAzaleas, gardenias, and roses (Knockouts, of course!) would be my choices. Easy and beautiful. I must be getting used to this southern setting. My choices would probably have been the same as yours a while back.
ReplyDeleteYikes, how could I have forgotten irises? I'm so glad you're bringing them. Excellent selections, Tina. Let's hope someone else has picked hellebores so we can see them somewhere on the island.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, Yes, that is weird on the iris but we must have the rainbow. Your choices were so practical-you'll be a popular lady!
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, I almost could've picked your flowers our easily. The vinca and butterfly bush no problem, the hibiscus would make me think. A bunch of bloggers chose the hibiscus, and at least one chose the butterfly bush. Excellent choices!
Mom, The lilac is so perfect! Oh yes they are must have. Many bloggers have chosen the rose so far. And the begonias are ever so fun. We need to get you another one-maybe cuttings from mine; which btw is not happy in the house.
EG, The thought of all bloggers on an island with their three must have plants would be a Garden of Eden!
W2W, I agree-the regional thing must be a player. Azaleas, gardenias and roses-perfect! Lots of color and fragrance. Love it!
Nan, We are in luck! Someone picked hellebores (my memory goes quick- but it will come to me I am sure). It will be a lovely island, especially with the stipa you picked, I can see the sedum close by giving us lots of fall interest.
Wow that would be a hard decision for me to make too Tina. You picked some great ones though! I'm thinking my preliminary choices would be Hydrangeas, Peonies and Clematis!
ReplyDeleteHi there Tina, sorry to mess things up with the Linky list earlier. I spotted your post when I visited Frances and picked up your link on the way past - this is me just getting back to browsing the posts properly. Gosh… I didn’t expect this to run so fast ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow… I have loved reading all your comments. This really has been way more fun than I ever expected! Yes, as you mentioned to Rose I will leave this up until late Monday evening (my Scottish time) so there is plenty time for everyone :-D
I love your selection – yes it is about time the iris arrived on the Island! I considered both rudbeckia and sedum when I was thinking about butterflies too so delighted to see you have chosen them. Interesting the way you made your selections too - good thinking. Enjoy your evening :-D
Fab another Rudbeckia fan! I like your choices Ididnt think of Irises - wish I had
ReplyDeleteNice choices, Tina, I am also fond of sedums. That island will surely be forested by the time everyone gets around!
ReplyDeleteThat would be really hard for me especially since I don't know that much about plants. I really do like YOUR choices though.
ReplyDeleteI tried to click on the picture to see the butterflies better but that didn't work. Maybe it's a gulf fritillary?
Hi Tina --I have to stick with the lilac --your mom knows a fabulous flower:0) And, I just love lilacs!!! Beautiful day today --lots of errands and running around but so much nicer in these balmy temps. Ciao!
ReplyDeleteRaquel, Those are so plants when I think of you! Especially the Limelight and clematis.
ReplyDeleteShirl, No way on the link thing. That widget was WAY cool! I just had to figure it out after a few tries. I cannot believe no one else has picked the Iris. Maybe someone will yet. We'll see. I'm enjoying seeing the different takes on the same mission from all the bloggers, some I know, some I don't.
PG, That seems to be the story with our poor irises. Sigh. Yup-that rudbeckia has tons of fans today.
Nicole, It will be fabulous-kind of like your island.☺
Dot, Thanks on the butterfly. Not sure why you can't enlarge them. Glad you like my choices-what would be yours?
Anonymous, Yes, you and my mom-the lilacs for sure. They are heavenly. I noticed mine are loaded with buds. Yours should be too so it won't be long..
oh, that is HARD. Just three???? How can you choose?!! I am just now seeing this challenge ~ I'll have to think about it for myself. Your selections are well thought out and good ones. I just bought my first sedum last fall and am learning its many attributes, but I love iris too. Spring flowers are on my brain right now because of the season but there are so many choices, aren't there? btw, I'm a huge survivor fan too and I believe every word you said about Frances!
ReplyDeleteThe smaller butterfly appears to be a painted lady. Google Image it, and see what you think.
ReplyDeleteKathleen, Frances will surely appreciate that-she's a gem. Stop blushing Frances! I am so glad you hear you are a Survivor fan! It seems we are a dying breed now a days. I fear Survivor days are numbered, and it isn't 39:( Yes, do think of the challenge-would love to see what you come up with and the reasoning. The sedums are great! Boy do those butterflies and bees love them. Spring is close.
ReplyDeleteMsrobin, Do you know I believe you are correct! I have the images up right now and all this time I thought these were all the same type of butterflies. Duh me. Now that I look closely I find they are truly different. I am so excited to have one here and sharing the space with the frittilary. What friendly butterflies these guys were this past summer.
Hi Tina~
ReplyDeleteWasn't this challenge fun? I have been looking at everyone's choices, everything is just exquisite! That is the beauty of nature all of it is divine.
I love your iris collection, the color really is stunning.
Karrita
Tina: You will have quite a bit of honey on your island given your choices. Great! Some of my favorite plants are listed here but it was hard to choose wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteI was surely thinking sedums on my list!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Karrita, It was really quite cool. Irises are Tennessee's state flower, I come by them honestly:)
ReplyDeleteLayanee, A bit hard to choose for sure. So many good bloomers in all seasons that's for sure!
Brenda, Great on the sedums. They sure are fabulous for almost year round interest and the butterflies love them.
I think I'm too late for this meme, but am doing a little island-hopping tonight. I love all the flowers you've chosen. Very smart of you to pick perennials!
ReplyDeleteOkay...if food is available then I would choose medicine....birch tree for asprin, st johns wart for swelling and aloe for that sunburn I'm getting on my desert island!
ReplyDeleteIf you really like those scupltures, go to his website and check out some more of his work. http://www.chihuly.com
ReplyDeleteJGH, No, not too late. She is leaving it up and a few other bloggers will be posting this weekend. Try it out if you get the time. Yes, perennials for me simply because if there is food, there must be coconut trees and other fun thing (I hope!)
ReplyDeleteDawn, You are the smartest blogger yet! You have all bases covered with the headache and burn soother and St Johns Wort. How smart of you! You should do a post on it and join in with Shirl's meme. The link is on my post and nothing says you can't join in-do so!
Msrobin, I loved these sculptures. Some I had seen on Rose and Cosmos blog, but not the blue rocks and yellow lighted tall sculpture. The blue rocks have to be my favorite. I love this kind of stuff.
Dawn that is funny cause I almost said Aloe for my 3rd one but had to go with the Angel Wing. I must admit I did'nt think of a sunburn but was thinking of a campfire.
ReplyDeleteTina, I enjoyed your choices. But most of all enjoyed your chain of thought and reasoning. Getting there was half the fun!
ReplyDeleteTina - thanks for visiting my blog yesterday - so just had to come over and take a peek at what you'd chosen - I must admit I did think of both Sedums and Irises - both plants I grow here and love - This desert island is going to be a wonderful place! Happy gardening! Miranda
ReplyDeleteThat must have been a difficult choice, Tina! Great choice about the Iris! And justified well!
ReplyDeleteDawn, you are so smart with your choices!!!
ReplyDeleteMom, She was too smart wasn't she!
ReplyDeleteBeckie, Yes, logic and reason are always good for me. Thanks on the choices. Would love to hear what you would take. And I do hope it is warming up a bit where you are.
Miranda, My pleasure. And you are ever so kind to return the favor! I enjoyed your choices as well and this was great fun huh?
Chandramouli, Thanks! You can almost see the criteria folks put on gardening by their justification of what plants they'll take. It will be a nice island.
Skeeter, She is the smartest yet! Way smarter than me since I went for looks.
Tina, I'd love you to bring these plants. I think they're all wonderful to have. I have had no luck at all with irises, so I could enjoy yours:) Same goes for sedum-mine turns brown in the fall, when it's really supposed to turn pink:( Now the rudbeckia, I don't think that would be a problem anywhere...other than it spreads quickly and has to be kept at bay, quite often!! It will be fun to have all of us together with these plants around us!
ReplyDeleteJan, No irises for you? I'd love to share with you as they grow like rudebeckia here;) The island will be lovely regardless with all the varieties of plants everyone is bringing. Can you just imagine?
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful how the choices say so much about the gardener. From your choices, I would surmise that you are a very visually oriented person. I like your choices, I even consider Sedum for a while.
ReplyDeleteGood choices, esp. the irises. They would be a welcome addition to a desert island
ReplyDeleteJan
Always Growing
Brad, Thanks! As are yours and your ideas.
ReplyDeleteMMD, You got me pegged-most visually oriented. Lots of color and very long bloom and ease of growth are my criteria. The rest is fluff. But I love em all. I am surprised as I don't think anyone else chose sedum, though it was surely a runner up on a number of blogs:)
Thanks Jan! We need a bit of the rainbow on the island, so we can look diligently for a way off and back to our gardens.
Irises, but of course, we've got to have them! And sunny rudbeckias and butterfly magnets aka sedums on a sunny island, well of course! Great choices, Tina!
ReplyDelete